In recent years, a lot of children are exercising for leisure and professional sport. Organized sport with strict rules and regular training has great positive effects for children and adolescents. But every child before beginning exercise, must be examined from a doctor. Also, he can suggest the appropriate exercise and sport for the child. The sport should fit with child’s body type and its age. On the contrary, it is certain that there will be disappointments because of failing and quitting.
Concerning resistance training, muscular development exercises are permitted, but they should be controlled and supervised strictly from the trainer that they are performed correctly and according child’s or teenager’s level.
According studies in USA, resistance training can offer positive effects, build correct bases for children and teenagers for their training process and progress while adolescence, while prevents from skeletal and muscular disorders, especially at the beginning of puberty that height increase is observed. GH (growth hormone) is responsible for the increase of height, muscular mass and strength increase. Thyroid hormones also are very important. The majority of the changes are being observed at the period of adolescence, when there is increased testosterone secretion. (mainly in boys)
Also, children that participated in resistance training, presented higher levels of bone density comparing the others. Finally, research
showed that resistance training doesn’t suspend height growth.
However, the absence of a customized training program, lack of warm up before training, lack of resting periods and performing false technique, are the most important joint, muscle and tendon injury causes.
Therefore, it is needed to use low intensity resistance exercises or/and bodyweight. Through training period, the intensity should be increased gradually while focusing in the technique of each exercise. Also, competition should be discouraged and fatigue should be avoided. Exercise’s effects are positive in children and teenagers and many scientists believe that first training effects appear in boys after 13-14 years old.
Regarding aerobic exercise, many studies show great improvement of VO2max, even though that the aerobic system of children and teenagers was adapted less than the one of adults. Also, after an anaerobic (speed) training period of six weeks in children of 11-14 years old, it was observed that anaerobic ability was increased by 5%.
Also, it is very important to mention that children have the ability to rehab energy very fast after exercise. Particularly, after 30-45 minutes they are able to exercise again, while in the contrary adults need many hours.